From laboratory to orbit: How PowerBank-50 becomes India's first space-proven commercial satellite battery

India's private space sector achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket, the country's first privately developed launch vehicle to reach orbit. Alongside this achievement, another breakthrough quietly unfolded in space: TakeMe2Space's PowerBank-50, an indigenously developed satellite battery pack, became the first commercially available, off-the-shelf Indian satellite battery to successfully operate in orbit, earning what the industry calls "flight heritage."

What is PowerBank-50?

PowerBank-50 is a compact lithium-ion battery pack designed specifically for small satellites. Weighing just 380 grams and roughly the size of a paperback book, it stores over 50 Wh of energy and is equipped with an intelligent battery management system, onboard heaters, and an aluminium flight enclosure. It is designed to power CubeSats and microsatellites for missions lasting up to five years in low Earth orbit.

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The battery flew aboard Cosmoserve Space's experimental payload on Skyroot's Vikram-1 mission, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. During the mission, it successfully endured the extreme conditions of launch, vacuum, radiation, and rapid temperature fluctuations in space.

Why is being 'space proven' such a big deal?

In the satellite industry, hardware that has successfully flown in space earns flight heritage, one of the most important certifications for commercial acceptance. Satellite manufacturers, launch providers, and insurers are generally reluctant to use components that have never flown because even a single subsystem failure can jeopardise an entire mission worth crores of rupees.

Batteries face even stricter scrutiny because they must survive violent launch vibrations while continuing to function reliably throughout repeated cycles of extreme heat and cold in orbit. By completing its first mission, PowerBank-50 has moved from being a ground-tested product to a space-proven one, significantly increasing its credibility in the global satellite market.

Why does this matter for India?

Until now, Indian satellite developers largely depended on imported battery packs that were expensive and often involved long procurement timelines. A domestically manufactured, flight-proven alternative can reduce costs, shorten project timelines, and strengthen India's growing small satellite ecosystem.

The availability of an off-the-shelf Indian battery also lowers the entry barrier for startups, universities, and research institutions looking to build satellites. This could accelerate innovation while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

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How could it impact everyday life?

Although invisible to most people, satellites support weather forecasting, navigation, disaster warnings, television broadcasting, agriculture monitoring, and communication services. Every satellite depends on batteries whenever it passes through Earth's shadow, where solar panels stop generating electricity.

Reliable, affordable satellite batteries can enable more Indian satellites to be launched, improving weather prediction, disaster management, precision farming, mapping services, and connectivity. In essence, innovations like PowerBank-50 strengthen not only India's space ambitions but also the technology that supports everyday life on Earth.